EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The IU Indy volleyball team closed out the USI Invitational with a five-set victory over the Evansville Aces, 3-2. Junior Morgan Ostrowski continued to lead the Jaguars' attack with a career-high 17 kills.
 
Ostrowski set the tone of the opening set with back-to-back kills. Evansville quickly tied it up, but IU Indy scored six straight points to take an 8-2 lead. The Aces chipped away at the lead until there was just a one point gap at 14-13.
 
The Jags once again regained momentum with a five point run forcing an Evansville timeout, 19-13. After trading points back-and-forth, Ostrowski ended the first set the same way she opened it with a kill to give the Jags the early 1-0 match lead, 25-19.
 
In set two, Evansville held an early 7-5 lead then extended it with a six point run, forcing IU Indy to take a timeout. Out of the timeout, the Jags cut the lead to 13-8 with three straight points. The Jags couldn't overcome the deficit though, as the Aces closed out the set, 25-18.
 
With the match tied at one set apiece, the Aces took a hard fought set four, 26-24. Evansville held the lead late in the fourth set at 23-18 but the Jags weren't giving up. IU Indy took three straight points with kills from Carly Doros and Ava Harris, forcing an Aces' timeout. The Jags tied the set at 24-24 but a Jags' service error and a kill from the Aces sealed the set at 26-24.
 
After the Aces took a 2-1 lead, IU Indy started the fourth set with a 6-1 run with kills from Ostrowski, Harris and Elle Patterson. After a few ties, IU Indy rattled off four straight points with kills from Patterson and Doros as well as a service ace from Grace Purichia to maintain the lead at 18-15, forcing an Aces' timeout. The Jags took control after that, giving up just four points to force a fifth set at 25-19.
 
With the match on the line, the Jags dominated the fifth set to seal the match victory, 15-6. IU Indy totaled nine kills compared to the Aces two in the final set.
 
Ostrowski led the attack with 17 kills while Harris added 15 and Patterson totaled 13. Purichia totaled 43 assists, 19 digs and two service aces while Harris led at the service line with five aces.
 
IU Indy is now 6-7 on the season and will next begin Horizon League play when they welcome Wright State on Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28.